Oakland: Man pleads not guilty to fatal shooting near BART station

OAKLAND - A man pleaded not guilty today to a charge that he murdered another man near the Oakland Coliseum BART station last October.

John Reed, 38, is charged for the fatal shooting of 43-year-old Damon Jones at 72nd Avenue and Hawley Street at about 3:20 p.m. on Oct. 27.

Oakland police haven't disclosed a motive for the fatal shooting of Jones, who lived in the area where he was killed.

The case remained unsolved for more than five months until Reed was arrested on April 11 and charged several days later.

Oakland police Officer Robert Rosin said in a probable cause statement that witnesses identified Reed "as the suspect responsible for the murder of the victim" (Jones).

Rosin said that before Jones died, he gave a "dying declaration" that implicated Reed.

In addition to murder, Reed is charged with being an ex-felon in possession of a firearm.

Prosecutors also allege that he has two prior felony convictions in Contra Costa County: one for first-degree residential robbery on Sept. 17, 2004, and one for assault with a firearm, also on Sept. 17, 2004.

Reed is scheduled to return to Alameda County Superior Court on Sept. 29 for a pretrial hearing.